This invention relates generally to social networking, and more specifically to conversations between registered users of a social networking system and additional users who are not registered users of the social networking system.
Methods of electronic communication, such as email and text messaging, have grown rapidly and are starting to replace older forms of communication, such as telephone conversations and physical mail. One drawback of these forms of electronic communication is that users need to provide an item of contact information, such as an email address or mobile phone number, in order to route the communication to the intended recipient. As a result, a user is limited to communicating with people who have shared their contact information with the user.
Many social networking systems include a conversation feature that allows registered users to exchange communications through the social networking system, and these conversations have become an increasingly popular method of electronic communication. Unlike other forms of electronic communication, there is no need for a registered user to obtain an item of contact information before initiating a conversation with another registered user of the social networking system. The social networking system may also enhance the conversation by adding additional features, such as a cover picture identifying each user in the conversation or links to the user profile corresponding to each user. As a result, many users prefer to carry out their electronic communications over a social networking system rather than through other forms of electronic communication.
Currently, conversations are only possible between registered users of the social networking system. No method exists for registered users of a social networking system to include additional users in a conversation if the additional users are not registered users. As a result, it is also impossible for an additional user to be included in a conversation even if one or more of the registered users has some other item of contact information for the additional user that could be used to send messages to the additional user, such as a mobile phone number or email address belonging to the additional user.